The Queen's Peace
by freifraufischer
Summary: Snow Queen. There is a tradition in the kingdom that once a year, in the fall before a great feast, exiles and criminals can return home without fear of arrest. When the Black Knights capture Red just before the festival Snow has to trust in the word of the Evil Queen to plead for her friend's life. But what does the Evil Queen want... and what does Snow?
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This story takes place before Snow Falls_

* * *

Snow White took careful aim, held her breath and let the arrow fly, it struck home killing the rabbit instantly and she let out a sigh of relief. They hadn't had meat in a few days and it was a big animal. It was enough for dinner for her and Red at least. She gathered the fallen animal and took out her hunting knife to clean and gut the creature, something that a year ago she couldn't imagine watching much less doing. But a year ago seemed like such a long time ago, and that life was starting to feel like a dream she couldn't quite grasp. Still she was pleased with herself and Red would be happy. If they were lucky she'd found some prey too and they could have a feast tonight. The autumn harvest time was near and while they didn't have a bountiful table they could celebrate together.

Just ahead on the path she saw a fluttering piece of paper nailed to a tree and let out a small sigh. The Evil Queen, she didn't have the heart anymore to think of her as Regina, had papered the forest with wanted posters. Without looking at it she reached to tare the paper down but for once when she looked at it, it wasn't her own face looking back.

A Royal Proclamation, she read carefully, a small frown forming on her face before folding it and stuffing it in her pocket.

She found Red back at their camp, she had indeed done well having caught what looked like four trout. She smiled on seeing Snow's hands. "You are getting good with that bow, rabbit is small game to hunt with an arrow. We normally use traps for them."

"Hard to use traps when we can't stay in one place long," Snow shrugged and handed the animal to red to start cooking and took the fish to clean. She might be able to do the dirty work now but she was still not the best camp cook.

It had been a month since their encounter with the wolves, and a month since Red had killed her mother, and the light was finally starting to return to her eyes. After dinner was finished, Snow took the paper from her pocket, "Do you know what the Queen's Peace is?"

Red nodded. "Of course. It was a royal proclamation of temporary amnesty. Ten days at harvest when exiles and criminals could come into the towns and return to their families to help with the harvest without fear of arrest. It was one of the only ways some of the farms made it."

Snow didn't know that much, but she nodded as if she did. "It was my mother's idea. She convinced my father that showing royal mercy once a year was good for the kingdom."

"It's going to be hard on a lot of families without it now that your father is gone."

Snow handed the paper over to her. Red looked at it a moment and sighed handing it back, "You know I can't read that well." She said with a shrug. Snow winced, she was getting better about remembering that kind of thing but she hated to embarrass Red that way.

"It's a royal proclamation from the Evil Queen, for this year's Queen's Peace. I was thinking…."

Red's eyes went big. "No."

"She can't hurt me during a peace."

"She's a mad woman, Snow, she wants you dead. We should take the ten days to go deeper into the forest while the Black Knights aren't chasing us."

Snow sighed. She knew Red was right of course. "I just… want to see my parents graves."

"Your parent's graves … in the Queen's castle?"

Snow nodded without saying anything.

"You are such a sweet girl, Snow. Sometimes I think my job is to protect you from yourself."

"Sometimes so do I." Snow fingered the wax of Regina's seal and put the paper away. A foolish thought.

The next day they were walking together along the river, away from the cities and towards the endless forest having decided that even if the Queen's Peace was a trick it was wise to try and use the time it gave them to get further away. Red heard the horses… or smelled them… before Snow did. She sent Snow into the forest for cover, after all it was her face they knew not Red's. When the Black Knights arrived they didn't dismount.

"Can I help you?" It was the daylight and not wolfstime so she couldn't attack them with anything but her bow if the men were seeking something other than information.

"Do you have information on the bandit Snow White?"

Red did her best acting, "If I did I wouldn't be hunting for food for my family, I'd be living on the Queen's gold."

The knights laughed and looked between each other before one of them smiled. "She's been looking forward to meeting you."

The lead knight laughed and threw a bag of powder in Red's face and she dropped to the ground unconscious. Snow reached for her bow there were many knights and she wasn't quite yet a fighter. Still she thought about the paper in her pocket.

The Queen's Peace.

When she could go and beg for her friend's life.

* * *

Red woke up her hands shackled and chained to the floor. "Please forgive my lack of hospitality but I have a healthy respect for your strength and I wouldn't want you killing my men."

Red noticed that she was still wearing her red cloak and outside the cell was standing a striking woman in a dark blue gown with pearls and diamonds. She didn't need an introduction. "Your Majesty…"

"Good, you know me. I thought you were a smart girl. Though making friends with Snow White was not your wisest move, we'll forgive that as you are young and something of a desperate soul."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Your Majesty."

"Do not lie to me," the anger flashed in her eyes and Red wondered if she was a dead woman.

"She knows I wouldn't want her to risk her life for me."

"Oh don't worry dear, I know your little friend very well. Capturing you was the point. She will come in on her own to petition for your release."

Red's eyes narrowed.

"The Princess and I have much to discuss. And you might even survive this." The Evil Queen smiled, "But I wouldn't count on it."


	2. Chapter 2

Audience Day was secretly one of Regina's favorite times. The people smelled and were fools but often the problems they came to her to solve were interesting and gave her mind something to do besides broad and dwell on her anger. The ownership of a pig. The disputed inheritance of a farm. Is the baker libel when an ember from his chimney set his neighbor's roof on fire?

Only fools came to the Queen's justice for trivial things and she loved punishing them for wasting her time as well. It was an hour into the audience on the first day of the Queen's Peace and she had even shown some mercy. A woman who killed a husband who had made a habit out of beating their children brutally. A young man who had killed his father for beating his mother. She had denied requests of course. Her mercy was not common much less infinite.

She saw her in the back of the room immediately, but said nothing, though she kept her eyes on the cloaked figure in rags as she attended to other petitioners. Finally though she could hardly hide her smile and the giddy energy that coursed through her.

"I think that is enough for today, and I'm sure so many of you would like to be somewhere else now that it is Snow White's turn."

Regina said each word as if was a curse. It was. This selfish child that had destroyed her life.

The traitor removed the hood of her raggedy cloak as the room emptied of everyone save the Queen and her knights. And her prey.

"My dear, how good to see you." There was a silkiness in Regina's voice as she stepped down from the throne to approach her.

"Regina... I've come to petition for my friend Red's life. Your knights captured her two days ago."

"Oh I know why you are here," she nodded and Red in chains was brought into the great hall, "You know it is death to help you. I have posted ample warning."

Snow was shaking, and Regina took a fierce pleasure in the fear even if the girl was trying to hide it. "It's me you want, not her."

"Are you offering a trade?"

"No! Don't do it!" Red shouted.

"I'm asking for you to show mercy. To remember the who you are." Snow said with a quiet sadness. "This isn't you."

"You forget Snow, that you no longer get to tell me what I can and cannot be," Regina stepped closer.

"What do you want?"

"Your head... but it is the Peace and that I cannot have." Regina smiled a predator's grin. "At least for now. But I want you to bath and put a brush through that rats nest on your head. I won't have you coming to dinner tonight with that... smell."

Regina waved her hand.

"Dinner?"

Regina smiled and paced the room with her own boundless energy. "Yes, it is after all festival time and we're family dear stepdaughter. Your friend can have her life and be forgiven her treason at the end of the peace. And you will stay. As the traitor princess come in for the festival."

Snow swallowed, but stepped forward. "And you'll give me your word that she'll be free at the end of the festival?"

"No." Regina smiled. "But you don't really have any other choice do you? Except to leave and if you do she hangs the morning after the last day."

Snow stared at her for a long time before slowly nodding.

* * *

Red had been released from her chains and the two brought to Snow's old rooms to stay for the festival. A servant arrived soon after to draw a bath and leave clothes. They were nice, though simpler than what Snow had worn once. "I don't know if they'll fit. I've ... my body has changed a bit."

She lost weight and built muscle while on the run.

"The Queen thought that might be the case and a seamstress will come after you are bathed m'lady."

Not your highness. She was being treated like a stranger in her own childhood home. Still... the bath was something she had dreamed about for months. She thanked the servant and the young woman left them alone.

"Your stepmother is a little intense." Red said with a sigh.

"I know," Snow said as she unlaced for the bath.

"Should we trust them?" Red said in hushed tones. "Shouldn't we escape?"

"I haven't seen a single servant I know. She must have replaced all the ones loyal to my father." Snow looked out the window out onto the valley below the castle. "I know the tunnels out of the castle but so does Regina. I suspect if we tried to escape today we'd both be dead. Besides I gave my word."

"She didn't," Red pointed out.

"Yes, well, that doesn't change that I did. We'll just have to figure out what she's after."

"While pretending to be her guests?"

"She is keeping the Peace at least."

"You know this is a trap, right Snow?"

"Of course it is. The question is why play this game instead of just killing us right away."

"Granny used to say you can't question crazy, Snow. I think evil qualifies as well."

"She wasn't..." Red raised an eyebrow as Snow paused, "She wasn't always like this. Maybe she's trying to find some way to stop..."

"Oh Snow," Red hugged her friend. "Your heart wants things that are dangerous to it."

"I know it's foolish. But foolish seems to be all we have right now," Snow smiled though, "But let's not waste chance for a warm bath at least."


	3. Chapter 3

Red shifted a little in the dress. The corset was tighter than she was used to, and displayed more of her cleavage than she normally would. But it was clean and nice, and the bath had been glorious. Snow emerged from the room in a cream gown with lace trim...

"How much gold is that worth..." Red said stunned.

"A lot no doubt. Regina has high standards for lace. When I was a girl she used to do this amazing work in the winter. I wanted her to teach me ..."

"I take it that didn't happen?"

"She stopped making lace... I ... guess she picked up other hobbies." Snow trailed off, lost in the past for a moment?

"Like becoming an evil sorceress?" Red asked?

Snow shifted uncomfortably.

"Or are we pretending that's not true while we pretend to be her guests?"

"It's just ... being in the castle again, I feel like I've gone back in time. Like I'll turn the corner and be able to stop her from... whatever did this to her."

Red took Snow by the shoulders. "You need to stop thinking about how to save the mad woman and start thinking about how to save ourselves."

"I know... " But Red wondered if she did.

They were escorted to a dining hall where there was a long table set up for dinner. Venison and root vegetables, roasted squash soup and Red's stomach betrayed her with a growl.

"Eat dears. I imagine living in the forest like vermin doesn't afford many good meals." The Queen entered followed by two guards but she held up a hand and they stepped back outside before she took a seat at the head of the table. "A good scrubbing did you well Snow."

Snow tilted her head, "Why are we playing this game Regina?"

The queen smiled, picking up her wine glass. "Perhaps I enjoy playing with my food."

Red suppressed a shiver.

"Perhaps, but that's not the reason."

The Evil Queen smiled, "Did you really ignore the lessons with your tutor? You are a fool Snow, but not stupid."

"You think that you can use my presence here to show that I'm a criminal."

"You are," The Queen's eyes were practically ablaze.

"The charges are lies," Snow said with more confidence than Red expected, "You know that Regina."

"You destroyed my life."

A sadness crossed her friends face, and to her surprise Snow didn't dispute the accusation. "And the entire kingdom must suffer for that?"

"They suffer because they refuse to love me as they should." The Queen said with anger and frustration.

"And I'm sure they'll learn to love you once you've burned the last village," Red wasn't even sure she had said it aloud until she notice that both the royals were staring at her.

But slowly the Queen smiled. "She's a brave one. I should be glad not to have to kill such a magnificent beast."

Snow put her hand on Red's to stop her from responding. "This is about ... politics."

"There are some political advantages of having you here for this festival." The Evil Queen admitted.

Snow tilted her head, "No matter how much you try to make this look like I'm a criminal Regina, it won't make the people love you."

"The people were never going to love me." Regina said with a low growl looking at her. "They never gave me a chance from the moment I married your father."

"That's not true Regina..." Snow said quietly.

"Such a naive little princess. I thought perhaps the harsh realities of the world outside this castle would have taught you something by now."

Snow looked right at her stepmother. "They have. It's taught me that there is always hope. Even in the darkest places."

Were it not for the words Red thought it might be a curse. And the near animal growl from the queen told her she wasn't the only one to think so.

Still, Snow seemed emboldened by the Queen's anger. Or perhaps confident now that Regina was for whatever her reasons going to keep the peace.

"I'd like to visit my father's grave."

"A footman can take you in the morning." The Queen said still staring at the bandit princess.

"Thank you, Regina."

And the thanks was too much, because the Evil Queen rose from her chair and stalked off without a word, clearly having not gotten what she wanted out of the conversation.

"Do you think the food is poisoned?" Red said quietly.

"No..." Snow said as she took meat and vegetables. "Poisoned food isn't her style. She wants me to admit my guilt before she punishes me."

Red raised an eyebrow, "For ruining he life."

"Yes."

"She's a mad woman." Red shook her head but took food herself, her mouth watering enough to let her forget fears of poison.

"She is a mad woman. That doesn't mean she's wrong," Snow said quietly.

The next morning was brisk, and Snow was up early, dressed and nervous. Red had asked if she wanted company to visit her parents and she'd gladly taken it. "I don't even know where Regina put him..."

"Your father is buried next to your mother, Your Highness." The footman, or page really, he couldn't have been more than sixteen said. Snow raised an eyebrow. It was the first time anyone in the castle had used her title. Still the two young women followed him down to the small grave yard where Snow's ancestors lay. Both her mother's and her father's graves were tidy and clean. She set down a snowbelle on her mother's tombstone and stepped back. After a time she spoke.

"At least she's taken good care of him in death."

"Even if she sent him to death?" The boy spoke again, quietly, having looked to make sure they were alone.

Snow turned surprised at the forwardness. "You should be careful. Saying such things might be your head."

"The witch is out riding, away from her mirror so she can't spy on us, Your Highness. It's safe."

"Safe for what?" Red said stepping slightly forward as if to protect her friend from the unknown danger.

"There are some of us still loyal to you. In the court and the army. We wanted you to know that the Evil Queen's days usurping your throne are numbered."

"What do you mean?" Snow asked, afraid of the answer even if she shouldn't be.

"We plan to kill the Queen save the kingdom."

Snow White stood under the falling autumn leaves by her father's grave and the words brought her not joy but a feeling of terrible nausea.

"Excuse me..." she said quietly, looking at Red.

"We'll find a way to talk to you again, Princess Snow."

Snow nodded absently and took hold of Red's hand gripping it tightly and it was all her strength of resolve not to run away from the conspirator but to calmly walk back to the castle.

Red whispered, "That ... wasn't what you expected. You aren't happy."

"No," Snow said quietly, "No ... happy is not the word I would use."


	4. Chapter 4

Snow stood on the balcony watching the horse trails below her, "When I was a girl I used to stand here and watch her riding you know. She was much better than I was, more confident, and I would imagine that I was her. I must have spent so much time in the stables that my tutors started to look for me there when I skipped lessons. For my fifteenth birthday my father bought me the finest horse in the realm. The pride of the Sultan of Agrabah." Snow looked over her shoulder and smiled at her confused friend. "I became the best rider in the kingdom. Well... not really. Regina really was much better. But people called me the best rider in the kingdom. I loved that horse... and one day he was down in the stables. No one knew what was wrong with him. He wasn't dead or sick... just ... sleeping."

She shook her head. "I think that's when I first really knew she hated me."

Red raised her eyebrows, "Your stepmother killed your horse? Because you were a better rider?"

Snow shook her head, "No... she cursed my horse because I was being praised for something I didn't earn. It was a lesson... a ... cruel and horrible lesson. But a lesson."

"Snow, you can't possibly be thinking of telling her."

"No." Snow responded quickly. "It would cost those men their lives. I was just thinking that perhaps I could somehow make it so ..."

Red came over and wrapped her arms around Snow.

"She saved my life once... why can't I save hers?"

Red smiled at her and brushed a bit of hair from her face. "That's a life debt. It's understandable that you want to pay it."

Snow looked up into her eyes, "You don't understand... it's not that she saved my life so I want to save hers. It's that I destroyed her life..."

Red shook her head having a hard time understanding any of this. Snow moved back to the balcony to watch as Regina's riding party came back into view. "Regina's not gone... she's lost. If you were lost I'd do everything I could to find you."

"If I'm ever lost like that Snow... I'd expect you to do everything you could do to stop me."

Snow raised her eyebrow. "You'd want me to put you down like a mad dog?"

Red looked at her in the eyes, "Yes. That is exactly what I want you to do."

"I couldn't do that to you Red."

Red sighed and smiled at her, "You are a sweet soul, Snow. I hope you never understand what it is to be a monster."

* * *

The Queen had decided not to eat dinner with them that evening, much to Red's relief, and Snow had found a corner of the library with a book that had once been a favorite of her mothers. Red had accepted that they couldn't try and escape during the peace, but that didn't mean she couldn't try and get a lay of the castle.

It seemed like a strange cold place to grow up in, dark endless corridors. The windows should have brought light in, but the spider iron work only managed to make those two seem more like cage bars. It reminded her of a dark corner of the forest people in the village said was haunted that Granny had forbidden her to go to.

But as it turned out it wasn't haunted, simply the place her mother ran.

She turned a corner and found herself in a large open room with a fireplace. Standing a few feet from it was the Evil Queen. She was flexing her hand and fire would form. She would watch it for a few seconds before throwing it into the fireplace and start again.

The look of anger an her face almost made Red back away until she realized that the anger seemed to be needed to make the fire. "... do you need the anger to make the magic or does the magic make you angry?" She asked tentatively. The Evil Queen snapped her head at the sound, having not noticed her standing there. There was still a fireball in her hand and Red wondered if she'd made a grave mistake.

But the fire went out in her hand, and her eyes only looked half as crazy as they had the night before at dinner. "Magic works on emotion, dear. The fire doesn't exist without the anger and the anger feeds on the fire."

Red tilted her head. "Why feed it then?"

The Queen raised an eyebrow and tilted her head, "Why run dear. You could chain yourself up and never hurt anyone, but you don't do that. Even with that cloak of yours your heart wants to run." She approached the younger woman, stalking her slowly like a predator. Or a rival ad clearly the Queen considered her a predator as well. "And not just run. You chase. Have you ever told Snow that? That you hunt?"

"How would you know..."

"I am the Queen. Do you really think I wouldn't know of each monster who stalks my lands. Snow's father used to send hunting parties out after werewolves."

"And you don't?"

The Evil Queen smiled, "You want to be hunted by my Black Knights as well as ignorant peasants?"

"Technically... I already am hunted by your knights."

Red wondered for a moment if the jab would cost her dearly, but the Queen chuckled and nodded. "True." She walked away from red and sat down.

"So why not send them out hunting."

The Evil Queen tilted her head, "What would be the crime other than that you are exercising your nature?"

Red wanted to point out that the Queen had murdered hundreds of people for no crime other than that she thought they were hiding Snow White.

"Battling the voices of the monster in your head is hard enough without a baying mob screaming for blood."

"And the voices in your head, Your Majesty?"

Regina looked thoughtful for a moment before smiling a big toothy grin, "Why my dear, I have no desire to battle my demons. That is the difference between you and I. Now run along to bed. Tomorrow the rebel princess and I will go riding and you are sure to want to be rested for that."


	5. Chapter 5

The Evil Queen handled her own tack. The stable hands took care of the horses but to her very particular specifications and they were magnificently cared for animals. The invitation (requirement) that they appear to ride with her in the morning had been delivered the night before and Snow had gotten up early enough to be dressed for riding but was not surprised to find that Regina had made it to the stables before them.

Red looked apprehensively at the giant black charger that the Queen was attending to, but she smiled at the two women when they entered. "Snow I suggest you introduce your friend to Sterling. She should be a calm enough mount for her."

Red glanced between them. "I've only ridden a few times before. Horses don't like me."

"They can smell the predator," Regina supplied.

Snow smiled and squeezed Red's hand, "Sterling was my father's horse. She's trained to be especially calm because he was getting older and had trouble riding."

Snow helped Red with her saddle and the queen mounted her horse looking resplendent in her red riding clothes and making Snow feel small and meek. "Are we parading me before the subjects, Regina?" Snow ventured.

"Wear a cloak to cover your face if you wish Snow. You'd be a fool to not realize that your presence at my table over the feast won't be widely know."

Snow was quiet, "Is that the point?"

"The point?" Regina said as their small party left the castle grounds.

"Of this sick little joke of yours."

"If it was a joke you'd have been beheaded in my dungeons instead of given guest accommodations. I've kept my word on the peace, something you might consider before accusing me of being the faithless one." There was an intensity in the Queen's eyes as she looked straight into Snow's and she looked down, momentarily ashamed.

They turned onto the road rather than the riding, "Where are we going?"

"There is a village an hour's ride from here. I have discovered that the local tax collector is over charging the peasants. A fourteen year old boy was caught stealing bread from a miller in the next village over and brought to me for justice."

Red ventured to say something for the first time finally sure she wasn't going to be thrown from the horse, "And you..."

"Set him free of course," she looked over her shoulder. "I may be many things, young lady, but a starving child should be given bread not the lash."

Snow tried to hide her approval, it wouldn't only make Regina angry and perhaps less merciful to whoever crossed her path today. "And we're going to do what at this village?"

"Why Snow my dear, we're going to make sure that the tax collector pays for the feast." The grin on Regina's face was nothing short of disturbing. When they arrived in the village both red and Snow pulled their hoods lower around their faces but no one was looking at them. Instead it was the Queen that drew all the attention.

The village leaders nervously approached with a bow, "We weren't expecting you Your Majesty..."

"Of course you weren't," it was one of the shabbier looking villages that Snow had ever seen, and she stretched her mind to think if she'd ever been here. It was close enough to the castle that she probably should have but she couldn't recall it.

"Which of you is Thadius?" Regina's sweet tone .

"Yes your... Your Majesty." The man looked white as a spirit. He was dressed better than anyone else.

"And your home?"

"Over there, Your Majesty. I would be honored to have you..."

Regina turned and nodded to the Black Knights and they stormed the man's home. One dragging his wife and children out while others searched the house and brought out every piece of silver and gold and valuables in it and lay it on the ground in front of the Queen.

Thadius dared say nothing but his wife was wailing. A fist went up from the queen and the woman was silent holding her throat at her sudden loss of her voice.

Snow should be horrified, but she'd seen too many villages with rich tax collectors and starving children. "Thadius here has kindly volunteered to pay for your village feast." The Evil Queen said with a smile. "You should go to the market and buy food and grain and winter provisions for everyone in the village."

She looked at the village headman who nodded, gesturing for men to load the valuables lest the Queen decide he would contribute as well.

"But.. Your Majesty... that is everything I own."

"Yes, I do believe it is." The Queen said with a smile. "And your punishment shall be the poverty you forced onto others. Be glad for the peace or I should not have been so merciful."

"This isn't mercy bitch... my family will starve!"

But Regina didn't react in the anger Snow expected. She grinned wider, "Oh, I shouldn't worry about starving. One of your neighbors will kill you before then. You should make sure to eat well at the feast."

Regina stroked the man's face and laughed as she turned around. Red shivered and her horse nearly unsettled, but Snow kept her eyes on the Queen the entire time. Once they were out of the village she spoke up.

"That was more justice than I expected."

"You don't know anything about justice, Snow."

"You didn't kill anyone..."

Regina looked right over at her, "Of course not dear, it's the Peace, and sometimes there is more fun in a slow punishment than a fast one."

Regina picked up the pace, though she wasn't riding too fast for the rest of the party it was enough to cut off conversation.


	6. Chapter 6

Regina was gone from the castle. Red and Snow knew as much immediately because even though they didn't know the rhythm of Dark Castle one didn't need to sense the relaxation in the servants. The two women went down to the kitchens to eat rather than the formal dining room and the cooks who did remember Snow fixed them a country breakfast that reminded Red of Granny's cooking.

They were eating at the table by the kitchen fire when Snow ventured a question, "Where is the Queen?"

"Her Majesty left in her carriage this morning. One never knows. She left her father behind so likely some dark magical errand."

Red's head tilted up, "Her father?"

Snow nodded sadly, "The older man in the blue suit that works as her valet. When I was young he used to take me down to the lake and tell me stories of adventures on the ocean when he was a prince. He taught me to fish."

"He sounds like a nice man," Red said as she pushed around her eggs. "He was. Sad. Always so sad."

"Well given what his daughter turned into..." one of the younger cooks said nervously looking over her shoulder.

An older one fixed her with a gaze that said 'careful' without voicing it.

Snow shook her head, "No, he has been sad as long as I've known him and before Regina... before the Queen was like this."

"You'll have a hard time convincing me that she's ever been anything but a mad woman," Red said and the cook sent the young servant away so as not to get ideas that she might speak as boldly.

But Snow was stuck in another time, "No... Regina was ... she was the most heroic and noble woman I'd ever met." Snow smiled at the memory, "My horse ran away from me, wild and uncontrollable. I was holding on with all my strength but I was going to be tossed and killed at any second and this woman... this stranger road down a hillside out of the sun like an angel. At a full gallop she pulled me from my horse. She had no idea who I was. No dreams of riches at saving a princess. She had these bright kind eyes and the first thing she did... was make sure I'd not be afraid to ride again."

Red listened quietly to the story, trying to reconcile it with the mad queen dressed in jewels and bone and corsets and drenched in blood. "What happened?"

Snow smiled a little sadly, "I did."

Two men entered the kitchen and the cook looked at them with the contempt of someone who knew trouble when she saw it hand had no interest in it. "I have to go deal with the vegetable merchant. Don't be here when I get back," she commented to the two men before closing the door to the kitchen behind her.

"Your Highness." Both men bowed and the older one spoke, "My name is Gavin. I was a captain in your father's guard." He was dressed in the cloak of a black knight but not a captain.

"Demoted?" Snow asked.

"The Queen posted those of us who were close to your father who she didn't let go to the edges of the kingdom. I am a border ranger to the south now. But I still have friends about." He nodded to the other man.

"Friends to help you plan to kill the queen?"

"To save the Kingdom," he nodded, "The treasury's gold may have bought her some monsters to do her bidding but no man puts on armor looking forward to burning villages or watching a witch rip out hearts."

"Rip out hearts?" Red asked alarmed.

"The Huntsman who she sent to kill me had orders to cut out my heart," Snow said thoughtfully.

"I don't doubt it, Princess. But the Evil Queen needs no knives. She uses brutal dark magic to reach into your chest and pull out your heart still beating." He mimed it with his hand and shivered. "Once you see it for yourself you never forget it."

"And what do you want of me?" Snow said quietly, and Red knew that she wasn't yet sure of this conspiracy.

"Two days from now the Evil Queen will ride the Cathedral at Shelter Rock. The bishop will bless the harvest. We will have a bowman in the rafters. An excellent shot, he never misses. The Queen will not even see death coming for her."

Snow shifted in her seat and Red grabbed her hand under the table. "And what do you need of me?"

"The Queen's most loyal guards will be in nearest her. You must defend yourself because they will surely break both the Peace and the sanctuary of the church to kill you for her death."

"I ... believe technically the Peace and the sanctuary would be broken by your archer." Snow said quietly.

The man frowned but went on. "Once the Evil Queen is dead and her guards taken care of the bishop is prepared to crown you the rightful queen immediately. But he will not tip his hand until she is dead."

Red spoke for the first time, "Wise man. Wiser than you two for speaking of this."

Gavin shrugged, "She already wants the Princess dead. She can only kill her once. So telling her poses no risk to us and there will likely be blades flying in that church after she's dead. It's best for you to know."

Snow looked at them and for the first time since she'd known her Red detected the princess about her, "And now you've told me. You should go now before you are caught. I'm sure there are those about the castle who would love the gold the Queen would offer for your head."

Both men bowed and left.

Red looked over at Snow, lost in thought. "You can't tell her, Snow. She'll kill them."

"You think I should sit in a pew and watch her die?"

"You are thinking about a woman who no longer exists. The one we're dealing with is a mad woman who is going to kill us at the end of the Peace... you know that."

Snow shook her head, "The Regina I know isn't dead Red, she's just ... gone. She needs someone to save her like she saved me."

"Oh Snow..."

Red shook her head. "I know you mean well... but ... she's trying to kill you. And they aren't asking you to kill her."

Snow tilted her head and looked at her friend, "They're asking me to sit by while they do it. How is that different?"


	7. Chapter 7

Regina worked from the study that her father's old chancellor had used. It surprised her a little and one evening in the early hours before the sun was fully down she stood in the doorway nervously watching Regina work. There were red boxes to the side, with dispatches and notes about the business of the kingdom, and black trays to the other side once she'd finished with the papers and the Queen's orders needed to go out.

"My father always trusted Benjamin to read through all of that and tell him what he needed to know."

"Benjamin was robbing the kingdom blind and lived in a home with golden chamber pots," Regina said without looking up. "And unless you want me to break the Peace I would find a safer subject than your father to talk about."

It wasn't a demand that she go away, so Snow entered more into the room. This time tomorrow Regina would be dead if the assassin's plan went through, and privately she thought it was a good one. At least from the point of view of someone who had never planned a murder before.

"I thought perhaps we could talk," she said nervously.

"Stop twisting your hands Snow." Regina said reflexively. She was always telling her not to fidget and Snow stopped instinctively. "What makes you think I actually want to talk to you."

"You made an elaborate plan to capture my friend so I'd be forced to spend time with you when you couldn't kill me... that seems to suggest you want to talk."

"Or I'm using it as an elaborate exercise in self control," Regina finally looked up from her big ornate desk.

"You aren't nearly the raging lunatic they say. I know you Regina."

"Do you?" The Evil Queen tilted her head and Snow realized she was on dangerous ground. Quiet Regina was the danger, not the raging one. Though the raging one was bad.

"I... wanted to talk to you about the people. I know you aren't like this inside. That ... you don't want to hurt people."

"What if that's exactly what I want to do, Snow?" She raised an eyebrow, her voice cold. "After all, I'm the queen, it's my right."

Snow White shivered and it wasn't even the chill that went through her that bothered her, but the smile that spread across Regina's face when she did.

"They'll never love you, not like this."

"They don't have to love me if they're dead Snow." She got up from her chair and walked around the desk, looking every bit as regal as Snow never felt even when she tried.

"It's the magic talking, Regina. It's ... clouding you."

She smiled again, and ran the back of a finger along her cheek. "Ah, but dear... magic is nothing but emotion, and the people have earned my rage."

Snow shook her head, "No Regina... I did. It's my fault."

There was an uncomfortable and bitter laugh, "Finally you learn. Much too late. But you are unwilling to face the consequences of your actions."

"I've paid a heavy price Regina."

Regina grabbed her face "No. You've run from the butchers bill. And it will continue to pile up as long as you run from me, Snow White."

Snow didn't flinch from her touch but looked her right in the eyes, "No matter how hard you try Regina, you can't scrub the blood off your hands and lay it all on mine."

Regina let go of her face and paced like a wounded lioness.

Snow didn't expect her to speak and so turned away cursing herself for thinking she could get through to her stepmother, "Sometimes..." Regina's voice made Snow stop but she didn't turn around. "Sometimes I fantasize about waking up one day and everything not hurting."

"So do I," Snow answered before she thought about it.

She left the Queen's study without another word, knowing that she would let the fates decide if Regina lived or died the next day.

* * *

The next morning no one ate. The feast was to be after the ceremony at the Cathedral of Shelter Rock. It was a grand old church built in to the side of a mountain with giant carved statues on either side. When she was little her mother ... her actual mother... told her that legend had it that when the kingdom was in trouble the giant stone warriors would rise from the mountainside and crush the invaders.

Except the threat to the kingdom wasn't from without. It was the Queen.

She and red were not riding under the cloak of anonymity today, but with their heads bared, dressed well enough to be ladies, below Snow's station and well above Red's who shifted nervously on her equally nervous horse as they road behind the Evil Queen. Snow privately thought it was an act of defiance. Her rod straight back and head an inviting target should Snow choose to attack her.

She didn't of course. The royal party had what seemed like fifty black knights in it as well as half the nobility of the kingdom. "There aren't enough children..." Snow whispered softly to Red.

"What?"

"There should be more children in this group. It's the blessing for the coming year. Only half these men brought their wives and children."

Red shrugged and nodded towards Regina, "I can't imagine that bringing your loved ones to an audience with the murderous monarch is high on anyone's agenda."

Or they knew what was going to happen in that church.

Regina kept Snow close to her as they entered the cavernous church. Up in the carved wooden beams of the ceiling Snow knew there was a hidden archer. Gavin, the head of the conspiracy took up a place by the door and once everyone was inside shut the door.

Regina moved to the front of the church with the Bishop. The man Snow knew would crown her queen with Regina's blood at their feet. He was an old affable man she remembered from her father's court. She wondered if he'd crowned her father as well.

Regina began to give the speech to proclaim the festival and Snow saw the glint of the archer's arrow tip and she watched him as he took up his position. She kept looking up at him and back at Regina. He was positioned behind her and she'd never see his arrow coming.

He took aim, and as he fired Snow lunched herself towards the Queen knocking her from the way and not hearing any of her raging curses because of the blinding pain as the arrow entered her own flesh. She heard Red's scream and the sound of dozens of swords being drawn. She saw Regina catch a second arrow. And then a third. And she heard her laugh as the fire appeared in her hand. Red managed to get to Snow and covered her with her body while the fighting raged around them and all Snow could make out was Red's whispered, "Don't look Snow... Please don't look..."

She passed out feeling the flames and smelling the flesh of the men the Evil Queen had roasted alive in the Cathedral of the Peace.


	8. Chapter 8

Snow woke up in a soft bed, blankets pulled over her and the smell of healing incense candles wafting through the room. For a blissful moment she thought she had woken up from a nightmare. That there had been no life on the run, no huntsman, that she would go down to breakfast and her father would be there smiling like she was the sun and the moon and everything important in his life.

And then the pain hit, and she groaned and remembered the day before. The arrow in her and the smell of burning flesh...

"Don't try to sit up," Red said quietly, reaching for a damp cloth to wipe her brow. "The healer took the arrow out but it went in deep and you lost a lot of blood."

"How... how bad was it?"

"He doesn't want you to get out of bed for five days," three days past the Peace, she could see Red's concern.

"No... how ... how many people died?"

Red looked down so as not to meet Snow's eyes. "I don't know. The Queen used terrifying magic. I'm not sure I will ever forget that smell and there were pools of blood on the flagstone that will surely leave stains. I heard that five guardsman loyal to the Queen died but... but even when I was trying to cover you up I know more died. And there are dozens of people in the dungeons now."

"It's my fault..."

Red smiled sadly at her, "You were true to who you were, my friend. You didn't kill those men."

"I just... I couldn't watch them kill her."

"I know. And we're going to have to figure out how to get you out of here before the Peace is over because unfortunately the Evil Queen is not you, and I don't think she has any intention of letting you live."

Snow closed her eyes in exhaustion and sadness and feel back to sleep. She woke again in the middle of the night with a warm furry presence on the bed next to her. Red in her wolf form watching guard over her, and she was growling. Over her body Snow could see Regina, looking as regal as ever even in the middle of the night.

She waved her hand, "Heal mutt." Red's body slumped down onto the bed asleep and Snow became more alarmed, "What did you..."

"She's asleep. Though I'm sure the servants are going to enjoy getting the wolf hair out of the bedding." Regina said coldly.

"Are you going to kill me?" Snow asked, scared as the Queen loomed over her in bed.

"Yes. Eventually. Just not tonight my dear."

She pulled her dressing down away from her shoulder, and with no gentleness at all ripped away the healers bandages.

Snow yelped from the pain as the wound was exposed, "You knew."

"Of course I knew. Do you really think those fools could plot like that and I wouldn't know of it. Do you think I don't know everything that happens in my kingdom?" Snow sighed, all her hopes that this last few days had meant a chance to fix things crumbling as Regina poked at the wound causing her to wince in pain. "Having you here did exactly what I expected. The fools all came out of the woodwork and made it so much easier for me to round them up and clean my house of the last of your father's fifth."

Whatever Regina was doing with the poking, caused Snow's eyes to water, or perhaps those were tears of a different sort. Regina placed her hand just over the wound and a purplish glow came from her fingers. Snow screamed out in pain as the magic coursed into her.

"As soon as the Peace is over I shall have a festival of an entirely different sort. All thanks to you." Regina smiled and leaned down her crazy cold eyes looking right into Snow's. "And you can be my guest of honor."

She stroked her cheek in a mock loving gesture.

Regina stood back up and flexed her fingers before turning to leave.

"I saved your life... did you plan on that?"

Regina stopped at the door but didn't turn around. "No." Her voice was quiet now, gone was the mad woman from the minute before. "I expected you'd sit back and watch them try to kill me."

"I could never do that."

"Don't make promises you can't keep Snow. Haven't you ever learned that?" Regina said bitterly as she left the room. Snow looked down at the wound to see the skin pink and raw... but healed.

* * *

The next day Snow got out of bed even though the healers insisted she should stay, still not understanding how the wound had healed so fast. Snow did not whisper a word of the Queen's visit, and Red was more nervous than ever. The court yard was full of soldiers now, preparing what looked like hundreds of nooses and sharpening swords.

Snow ran from the sight back inside the castle only to walk into the audience hall expecting to plead for Regina's mercy only to find her standing with the bishop who would have crowned her queen. The old man was begging and Regina smiled at him, "Of course you are forgiven, Your Grace. You are far too useful to kill."

And then her hand was deep in his chest and to Snow's horror she pulled his heart out. The sick muffled groan of agony lost in the large room. She ran again and found an abandoned room in the castle that looked like it hadn't been used in ages. Covered in dust and cob webs. Looking down at her from a wall was a large framed portrait of her father, Regina, and Snow painted not long after the wedding. Her father's eyes were kind and benevolent, and Snow smiled as she always did at that age. But Regina ... even captured by a portrait painter, looked a woman in mourning.

And now Regina was smiling and it was Snow in mourning.


	9. Chapter 9

Red put her hand against Snow's forward to make sure again for the tenth time that she didn't have a fever. She'd checked where the arrow had pierced her skin at least as many times, not trusting the Evil Queen's benevolence in healing the wound. But she had no fever and the wound was healed. The Peace would end at dawn tomorrow and even Snow knew that they couldn't risk Regina keeping her word. They had to leave tonight. Gone were the fine dresses she'd worn, and the mantle of the prodigal princess, and she'd put back on her bandit clothes and tattered cloak.

Whatever Regina was planning meant that there was a lot of activity in and out of the palace and they could slip out unnoticed if they planned right. A completely mad and irrational part of her wanted to say goodbye to Regina. Wanted to talk to her. To have the talk she had wanted to have the entire time they were here. But she didn't need Red to tell her that was foolishness.

They snuck onto a cart carrying lumber out of the court yard. Snow didn't want to know what for. Nothing good. Once they were at the edge of the dense woods around the Winter Castle they jumped from the cart and darted off the road. Dusting themselves off finally Snow turned back to look at her childhood home once more, swallowing, and turning to walk away.

"You make a very poor guest Snow White, to sneak out in the middle of the night without leave."

Regina stood incongruously in one of her gaudy yet stunning dresses that made her seem about ten feet tall and full of power. Though the truth was she was full of power without the trappings of the mad queen.

"Regina... you gave your word."

"And so did you Snow, which you broke when you left the castle before the end of the peace, but I always knew you would." Regina approached her and Red looked ready to attack her to defend her friend.

Snow tilted her head, "This isn't you. I know you Regina. I know that you are inside there."

Regina laughed bitterly, "The young woman you treated like a play thing? Oh she died a long time ago Snow. This is who I am. And you... will always be a little girl who can't keep her word." Regina moved in close, just inches from her face. "Just remember dear, the death that you see is on your hands. They did that for you. You had a choice to tell them to leave their swords in their sheaths... and tomorrow's harvest is on your head."

Regina's hand flew up and purple smoke enveloped her. When it cleared she was gone.

"She's letting us go?" Red asked quietly.

"She wants me to see what she's going to do," Snow said quietly, "Come on, we have to put some distance between us and the castle."

They saw their first body hanging from a tree along the roadside two days later. An old soldier Snow recognized from her father's guard. To his chest was pinned a notice. "Executed for supporting the traitor Snow White." Her own eyes in the form of a sketch of her in a princess dress looked down at them.

By the week later it was hard to find a cross roads that didn't have a body swinging.

"The fruit of my harvest..." Snow said when they found the young footman who had first told them about the plot. She buried her head in Red's chest and sobbed for what seemed like days.

There would never be another Queen's Peace.


End file.
